The Qualifying Race ended with a seventeenth position for Octane 126’s 488 GT3 Evo 2020, the best of the Ferrari entries, in the prelude to the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Perfect weather conditions - unusual for the Nordschleife at this time of year - accompanied the six-hour race, whose result determines the starting grid for the great German classic.
Pace. The race was a tough one for the Ferrari crews involved, in spite of Jonathan Hirschi in the Octane 126 colours looking poised for a promising start from the second row of the grid. From the very opening laps, however, the speed differential between the Maranello machinery and their adversaries became apparent, making a tough task of defending the position. The 488 GT3 Evo 2020 driven by Daniel Keilwitz, George Weiss, Jochen Krumbach and Indy Dontje, lined up by WTM Powered by Phoenix, occupied positions close to the top twenty throughout the race but, seven minutes before the start of the final hour of racing, was forced to return to the pits before withdrawing. The same fate awaited the Racing One-run 488 GT3, obliged to cut the race short some two hours ahead of schedule.
Conclusion. Octane 126’s 488 GT3 Evo 2020, with Björn Grossmann, Simon Trummer, Jonathan Hirschi and Luca Ludwig alternating the driving chores, completed the race in seventeenth final position which will guarantee them a ninth row start at the June 5-6 race weekend.